Latching device with stamped catch



Jan. 3, 1950 R. K. NOTTINGHAM 493,016

LATCHING DEVICE WITH sTAMPED CATCH Filed March l, 1948 Patented Jan. 3, 1950 LATCHING DEVICE WITH STAMPED CATCH Ralph Kenneth Nottingham, Portland, Oreg., as-

signor to Phillips Tutch-Latch Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation ofA Delaware Application March 1, 1948, Serial No. 12,287

.6 Claims.

My present invention comprises an improvement upon my copending application, Serial Number 759,326, filed July 7, 1947, and titled Selfraligning latching device.

VThepresent invention comprises a latching device having all of the features of novelty, objects and advantages of the latching device disclosed in the aforesaid application and certain improve,- ments thereover.

In the latching device of the above identified application a keeper comprising a cast or molded metallic element is mounted upon one part of .a separable fastening device which is adapted to. be attached to one or two movable members to be latched together, such as a cabinet and a door therefor. The keeper is adapted to cooperate with a latch member which engages the keeper on closing movement of the door. The two parts hold the door in slightly spaced relationship tothe adjacent surfaces of the cabinet under the tension of a spring device tending to urge the door to open position. The door is opened by pressing it slightly inward to disengage the latch memberv from the keeper, whereupon the door is sprung open by the spring device. No protruding parts such as handles, knobs, buttons or the like are necessary, and the door may be flush with the cabinet surface and entirely free from obstruction.

A disadvantage of the foregoing construction arises in that the keeper, which comprises a cene trally located stop abutment and a pair of ears located at each side of the stop abutment with the ears projecting forwardly from a shoulder abutment, is formed of soft or brittle metal alloys which may be cast or molded and therefore the ears are necessarily thick. The relative thickness ofthe various parts results in the door being relatively Widely spaced from the cabinet when held by the latching device, with the result that as, much as a quarter of an inch gap may exist at the free edge of the door, which is too wide for the desires of most users. The principal object ofthe present invention is to devise a latching device which will hold the door almost tightly closed, the arrangement being such that a gap of only one-sixteenth of an inch is possible, such a gap being well within desirable tolerances.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a latch keeper which is easily formed of rugged materials which will not Weanbreak or bend.

1The objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily Aapparent from in,.

spec'tion of the following specification taken in 55 connection with the accompanying drawings).v

wherein like numerals refer to like parts through out, while the features of novelty will b e more distinctly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a front 4view .of a cahi-A net having a door retained in closed position .by a concealed latch;

Fig. `2 is a side elevation of a portion .of the in terior of the cabinet adjacent the free edge .oithe door and illustrating the keeper mounting portion of the latching device;

Fig. 3 is an inside view of the portion of the...

free edge of the door adjacent the portion dis.. closed in Fig. 2 and illustrating the latch portion of the device;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the edge of 'the door including the latch portion mountedl thereon,

the view being taken substantially along the 'line'- 4--4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a View partly in section, with jparts broken away, showing the two parts of the latch.

ing device in cooperating relationship-at the in'- stant that the keeper has been released and the door is about to spring open;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken substantiallyalong line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a partially schematic view of the latch.- ing device showing the relative relationship of parts when the door is rst swung to fully closed.

position;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing the-v parts in latching position;

Fig. 9 is a view corresponding to Fig. 5 showing the parts at the instant of touching the door to.y

release the latching device; and

Fig. 10 is a vertical section through the sprin device taken substantially along line I 0-I0 of Fig. 1.

The invention is herein disclosed as being as.

gated openings I8 therein through which screw-A fastening devices I9 may be inserted to retain the member in vertically adjustable fashion. The

base extends forward to provide a limitingpor.-V

tion 20 against which the back plate 2| of `thelatch part may strike when the two parts are" brought together. A portion 22 is bentvertically upward from the base I1 and then forwardly Ato f provide, a guide 23 extending forwardly and par` allel to the base l1. The guide 23 terminates in a rounded forward edge, the extreme tip of which is directly over the end edge of portion of the base and forms an abutment against which the rear plate 2| of the latching part may strike.

The keeper comprises a strip of sheet metal having one end symmetrically reduced to provide a tongue which is bent upwardly and slightly forwardly to dene a stop abutment 25. The opposite end of the strip is bent upwardly to dene a vertical portion 26 and then forwardly to denne' a long side 21 parallel to the main portion of the strip forming the opposite long side 28 of the keeper. The free end of the portion 21 is provided with a wide, shallow notch defining a shoulder abutment 29 having one of a pair of angular projections 3| and 32 at eachside. The strip is of such dimensions that the shoulder abutment 29 is maintained at a slight distance from the tip of the stop abutment to dene therewith an irregular slot through the keeper. The dimensions of the keeper are such that the strip denes an elongated, flattened ring, or rectangular body open at each end, with the slot extending through one end of one of the longer sides of the body.

The opposite end of the keeper is provided with aligned openings for reception of a pivot pin 35 having reduced ends 36 which may be passed through aligned openings in the base I1 and the guide 23 and peened over to retain the pin and maintain the guide 23 in spaced relation parallel to the base |1. The pin 35 is located centrally ofthe extension portion 20 and of the guide 23 along an axis of relative movement of the separable parts.

The vertical portion 26 of the keeper is provided with a spaced pair of openings 38 adjacent the rear edge thereof, into one of which may be hooked one end of a coiled spring 39. The opposite end of the spring may be hooked into one of -a pair of openings 49 in the portion 22 of the keeper-retaining stamping. The Spring is so proportioned as normally to maintain the keeper swung slightly `forwardly as illustrated in Fig. 2. As explained in the aforesaid application, Vthe spring could be omitted, since the keeper would operate due to the force of gravity alone, but the spring provides positive action and prevents rattling of the parts under vibrations such as produced by radios, heater motors or the like. The spring also assures operation of the latching device if it should be desired to have the keeper extend vertically upward from the pivot, in which case the spring 39 would be shifted to engage in the other hole 38 in the keeper and the other hole 40 in the portion 22.

The latching part |6 of the device includes a pair of latch parts 42 comprising relatively narrow fingers struck upwardly from the base of the stamping. The parts 42 are so spaced as snugly to embrace the edges of the guide 23 when the door is brought to a closed position. The elongated holes 8 in the base I1 provide means to adjust the position of one part with respect to the other when the device is rst mounted. In the event that the door should sag slightly in the course of time, the rounded tip of the guide 23 provides means to lift the free edge of the door as the parts are brought together-so that the latch parts 42 will be maintained in proper relation to the keeper.

Fig. 10 illustrates a form of spring device which may be associated with the door and cabinet. In this form acylindrical bore 45 is provided in the edge of the door to which are attached the hinges 46. A ferrule 41 is driven into the bore, the ferrule providing a retainer and support for a plunger 48 urged forwardly by a spring 49. The adjacent surface of the cabinet comprising the post l2 is preferably provided with a striker plate such as the head 50 of a screw driven thereinto. When the latching device is released the spring 49 forces the plunger outward to cause the door to swing open. Other forms of spring devices may be substituted for that illustrated.

Operation In Fig. 7 the separable parts of the latching device are illustrated at the instant the door has been pushed as far shut as it will go with the latch parts 42 straddling the portion 23 and the backplate 2| engaging the edge of extension 20 and the end of the guide 23. In moving to this position the lower latch part 42 engages the forward edge of the side 21 of the keeper until it passes beyond the projection 32. At this point the spring 39 operates to snap the keeper forwardly until limited by the stop abutment 25 engaging part 42. When pressure is released from the door the spring 49 moves the door outwardly until the part 42 moves forwardly from beneath the stop abutment 25 and enters the irregular slot through the side of the keeper. The spring 39 will now snap the keeper forwardly until the projection 3| engages the edge of the part 42. The door is now held against further outward movement by the part 42 engaging the shoulder abutment 29 as seen in Fig. 8. To release the parts, the door is moved slightly inward to the extent necessary to clear part 42 from beneath the projection 3| at which point the spring 39 will swing the keeper forwardly to assume the positions illustrated in Fig. 2. When the inward pressure against the door ceases the spring 49 may now cause the door to spring outwardly. The lower part 42 will move forwardly and engage the rear surface of the side 21 of the keeper, swinging it forwardly. The part 42 will clear the projection 3| and will then engage the stop abutment 25 but will pass around the outer end of the stop abutment dur.'- ing this outward movement.

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are drawn to approximately twice the size of an embodiment of the invention, from which it may be seen that separable members such as door and cabinet may be held in almost flush relationship, there being but one-v sixteenth of an inch between the parts 2| and 2|! when the parts are latched as shown in Fig. 8. Releasing movement may be accomplished by moving the part 2| inwardly approximately onethirty-second of an inch as shown in Fig. 9.

Having illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be appreciated that modications in details and arrangement thereof may be readily achieved. For example, the mounting portion of the keeper part may assume other shapes, or keepers may be mounted in tandem as disclosed in the aforesaid application. All such modifications as come within the true spirit and scope of the appended claims are considered to be a part of my invention.

I claim:

ing a base, a keeper comprising a strip of sheet metal, one end of said strip being symmetrically reduced to provide a tongue, said tongue being y bent upwardly to form a stop abutment, the other end of said strip being bent upwardly and then 1. A keeper part for a latching device comprlsf forwardly to position .the end edge thereof adjacent said stop abutment, and means pivotally mounting said keeper on said base for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to said tongue.

2. A keeper part for a latching device comprising a base, a keeper comprising a strip of sheetl metal, one end of said strip being symmetrically reduced to provide a tongue, said tongue being bent upwardly and rearwardly to form a stop abutment, the other end of said strip terminating in a wide end edge having an angular projection at each corner, said other end being bent upwardly and then forwardly to position said projections adjacent said stop abutment at each side thereof, and means pivotally mounting said keeper on said base for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to said tongue.

3. A keeper part for a latching device comprising a base, a keeper comprising a strip of sheet metal bent upon itself to form a rectangular body open at both ends, one end of said strip being reduced to define a central stop abutment located near one end of one of the sides of said body, the other end of said strip being shaped to define a shoulder abutment having a small projection at each side, said shoulder abutment being spaced from said stop abutment and defining therewith an irregular slot in one side of said body, and means pivotally mounting said keeper on said base for pivotal movement about an axis normal to said one side of said body.

4. A keeper part for a latching device comprising a base, a keeper comprising a strip of sheet metal bent upon itself to form an elongated, rectangluar body open at both ends, one end of said strip being symmetrically reduced to dene a stop abutment located near one end of one of the longer sides of said body, the other end of said strip being shaped to define a shoulder abutment having a point at each side, said shoulder abutment being spaced from said stop abutment and defining therewith an irregular slot near one end of a side of said body, and means pivotally mounting said keeper on said base for pivotal movement about an axis normal to said one side of said body near the other end thereof.

5. A keeper for a latching device comprising a strip of sheet metal bent upon itself to form an elongated, rectangular body open at both ends, one end of said strip being reduced to define a central stop abutment located near one end of one of the longer sides of said body, the other end of said strip being shaped to define a shoulder abutment having a projection at each side, said shoulder abutment being spaced from said stop abutment and deiining therewith an irregular slot near one end of a side of said body, said body having aligned openings therethrough defining a pivot journal the axis of which is normal to the side in which said slot lies.

6. A keeper for a latching device comprising a strip of sheet metal bent upon itself to form an elongated, rectangular body open at both ends, one end of said strip being reduced to define a central stop abutment located near one end of one of the longer sides of said body, the other end of said strip being shaped to define a shoulder abutment having a projection at each side, said shoulder abutment being spaced from said stop abutment and defining therewith an irregular slot near one end of a side of said body, the long sides of said body having aligned openings therethrough spaced from said slot and defining a pivot journal the axis of which is normal to the side in which said slot lies, and said body having a spring attaching opening therethrough beyond the pivot journal from said slot.

RALPH KENNETH NOTTINGHAM.

No references cited.

Certicate of Correction Patent No. 2,493,016 January 3, 1950 RALPH KENNETH NOTTINGHAM It is hereby certified that errors appear in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 1, line 14, for or two rend of two; column 3, line 51, for the word heater read beater;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 16th day of May, A. D. 1950.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Uommz'ssz'oner of Patents. 

